Nice Rant. Of Course Asia (you can't get me to call you lord), said it the best. Feel free to ignore Dreadnaught. Like most addicts he can't seem to get off the nut riding element out of his system. Remember he has to first acknowledge that he has a problem before he can fix it.

I understand you, man. I am currently completing my packet for OCS but I feel that my time as an enlisted man will make be a better officer than those who just came in as one. Its still unsettling for me to realize that a guy with 3~5 yrs service is COMMANDING pple who have double to three times as much time in. The good ones listen to their NCOs but you will always have some asshole who thinks just because he has higher rank he knows better.

Yeah, the last thing I want to do is become THAT 2LT.

If I end up going officer at some point in my career, you have my solemn promise that I will keep my head out of my ass and my ear turned toward my NCO.

"No. Listen to me because I know what I'm talking about here." -- Hannibal

Hey GB, not to beat a dead horse, but I'll tell you a little story. I joined the Marine Corps 3 months after my buddy. He went in as an officer, henceforth referred to as zeros, and I went in enlisted. When we were comparing notes about a year later, he concluded that he would have preferred to join enlisted because of all the politics. He told me that you couldn't even pick up rank beyond captain without jumping through a ton of secondary bullshit that had nothing to do with a zero's job, but everything to do with social standing within the ranks. To be fair, his take on this had a lot to do with his dislike of office politics and social BS.

DerAuslander108 is right, everyone respects mustangs more than plain old zeros. In case people don't know, a mustang is an individual who joined enlisted and then becomes an officer.

One final note: One man's anecdote is another man's trash, or your mileage may vary.

I think joining as an officer is an odd leftover from European aristocracy. I don't see any pratical reason for it beyond maintaining class priviledge, which is pretty irrelevant now.

Mostly it is an education thing. If a guy goes to westpoint and has been schooled in military tactics, logistics, stratigy, one would like to think they are in a better position to lead. on the same note however, a Sgt that saw tours in nam, the gulf, or what ever war in recent history is going to know a lot more about the feild than the collage boy showing up and barking orders.

Pardon my spotty recollection, but weren't the top two point holders the ones people kept accusing of nutriding? Now you're just poisoning the well.

I guess, I never got into the politics of it. I just wanted to give kudos to those who deserve it. Having higher rep points didn't mean you were a better poster not by a long shot. If that's how you measure your manhood go right ahead.

Mostly it is an education thing. If a guy goes to westpoint and has been schooled in military tactics, logistics, stratigy, one would like to think they are in a better position to lead. on the same note however, a Sgt that saw tours in nam, the gulf, or what ever war in recent history is going to know a lot more about the feild than the collage boy showing up and barking orders.

I think that you could require that anyone who wants to become a Lt has to at least enlist and rise to the rank of corporal before they go into officer's training.

i must agree with the other guys my brother enlisted then went officer... he just made major and is in for life and his guys think he is great, but he says the same about the politics... course i was just an enlisted puke in the navy so what do i know, and i do aikido!!!
i'm sure you'll do great just don't let em beat you down...